I like the way the likes of Dr. Ciara Kelly talk on this issue. No ambiguity, no dancing around the issue to make people feel ok about themselves. Tackle the bullshít head on and call it for what it is. I'd suggest making an appointment to see her in her Greystones surgery but I'd say you'd struggle she's become so beloved of RTE and Newstalk these days!

Seriously though. Go see the GP. Together. Preferably go and see John McManus in the Carlton Clinic. That'd be my advice.

With my wife, to persuade her that she's wrong, she needs to be made to feel that's she's right, but is choosing to go against that instinct

I think it is probably all scaremongering in the case of HPV, but we need to exercise some caution regarding vaccines. I know a number of doctors who have given their kids most vaccines, but not all. Basically they did so on the basis that some vaccines include a more serious risk than does the condition being vaccinated against. But the notion that the State should made vaccines mandatory is nonsense, what next, give the State the right in interfere in family life to insist on whatever is their current definition of a healthy lifestyle? After all, lifestyle probably causes more, and more serious, threats to health than that posed by diseases against which vaccination is recommended.

Mandatory vaccination just makes anti-vaccers believe that there's a conspiracy. I am against making them mandatory.

I think it is probably all scaremongering in the case of HPV, but we need to exercise some caution regarding vaccines. I know a number of doctors who have given their kids most vaccines, but not all. Basically they did so on the basis that some vaccines include a more serious risk than does the condition being vaccinated against. But the notion that the State should made vaccines mandatory is nonsense, what next, give the State the right in interfere in family life to insist on whatever is their current definition of a healthy lifestyle? After all, lifestyle probably causes more, and more serious, threats to health than that posed by diseases against which vaccination is recommended.

Saying that "lifestyle probably causes more, and more serious, threats to health" is a woolly, unscientific way of looking at this and simply does it make sense. We should promote both but one does not compensate for the other.

Not vaccinating children against preventable diseases is something that has very defined and well understood consequences. The kind of lax sentiment in your post comes from false sense of security we have these days because epidemics of illnesses which killed many people in the past are things of the past as a direct result of vaccination.

Seriously.... do we need more epidemics of measles or polio so a new generation can learn the hard way?

This story annoys the hell out of me. The internet, including some fruit loops in this parish, is awash with anti-vaccination conspiracy loons. These cretins, having apparently been vaccinated from believing anything that is supported by scientific research, peddle any and every piece of scaremongering nonsense they trip over and we have seen far too many parents swallow this shíte whole and fail to vaccinate their children against entirely preventable life threatening illnesses. For the first time in years we saw children die from measles having not been vaccinated in the aftermath of Andrew Wakefield's lies about the MMR vaccine. The story in the news lately? The HPV vaccine, the uptake of which has fallen alarmingly. So let's compare and contrast.

In the linked story on one side we have HSE spokesperson Stephanie O’Keeffe who says:

We also have Professor Donal Brennan, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at the Mater Hospital in Dublin:

Two people who's jobs are to deliver the best healthcare and outcomes for patients. Clear and unambiguous. The vaccine is safe. And, given that it's pretty much accepted that dying of cancer is bad, necessary too.

Enter SF health spokesperson Louise O'Reilly. While supporting the vaccine the glowing opportunity for a good old pander is just too great to resist. Louise solemnly tells us that people "wholeheartedly believe" that their daughters have suffered adverse impacts from the vaccination and that we "cannot dismiss the concerns of mothers".

People who have concerns about this and wholeheartedly believe the precise opposite of what scientific evidence demonstrates are the kind of people with the kind of super heavyweight thickness that sees them turn to their Facebook feed for medical advice instead of, heaven forbid, a doctor! Their "concerns" and "wholehearted beliefs" translate, when passed through a common sense filter, as dangerous stupidity. We should not be validating them or making them feel ok for being idiots.

What we should be saying in no uncertain terms that the anti-vaccination conspiracy loons are bare faced liars. We should also be saying that anyone who chooses to believe them over medical professionals is an idiot, that they are endangering their children and that they should be ashamed.

If people are being idiots they should be called on it. This brand of soft soap pandering is utter horse shít and O'Reilly and all the other fools who engage in it should be ashamed of themselves. This is one of those times when there is no room for ambiguity.

I agree. In fairness, SF do come out in support of the vaccine, but yes, they are being a bit wishy washy about this.

Mandatory vaccination just makes anti-vaccers believe that there's a conspiracy. I am against making them mandatory.

On one occasion when we were unsure about a certain vaccine we simply went to our GP and voiced our concerns. His advice was to recommend it, but then quietly added "I didn't give it to my own kids". Maybe try and get your better half to ask your GP which vaccinations he has given to his own kids.

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